Charas: How to Make Your Own Indian Cannabis Concentrate

Unlike the Western
countries, India has a long history of relationship with cannabis. It
is growing wild all along the northern part of the country and is
especially abundant in the areas around the Himalayas. Moreover,
certain forms of ganja, the Indian name for cannabis, are still
widely popular and available throughout the country.

For instance, you can
find bhang, a common cannabis drink, not only in tents during the
traditional Hindu festivals but also in most of the
government-sanctioned stores at any time of the year. It is popular
among the locals and tourists as well.

Another famous
cannabis product you can find in India is charas. It is not an edible
but a kind of hand-rolled hashish joint that you are supposed to
smoke. While in the Western culture we are used to consuming dried
and cured cannabis, in India it is common to use freshly harvested
weed. That is why both bhang and charas are made of the local fresh
buds that are used a few weeks after they have matured. And that is
why the taste and the effects they cause may differ from what most of
the Western consumers are used to. Even though charas is often
compared to hash, as they both represent cannabis concentrates, they
are different.

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The
role of charas in Indian culture

In India, charas is
used not only recreationally but also as an important part of the
religious festival celebration. In the Hindu religion, it is believed
that the god Shiva, the Supreme Being, loves consuming cannabis. For
this reason, smoking weed is connected to worshiping Lord Shiva.
Sadhus (ascetics) and young professionals consume it regularly using
a chillum, a special small clay pipe, and chanting Shiva's numerous
names while smoking.

There are several
kinds of charas in India, and their potency varies a lot. Almost all
the cannabis for charas in gathered in the northern part of the
country, in Parvati Valley, Kashmir, or Malana regions. These places,
close to the Himalayan mountains, are known for their abundant fields
of wild-grown cannabis.

One of the most potent
and most powerful charas is called Malana Cream. It is made from the
cannabis grown in Parvati Valley, which is known for its high THC
content. Although this product is very popular, very little has been
done to improve the growing or harvesting process in this area. The
weed is still gathered by hand, it is transported by mule, and the
whole process of making charas takes much longer than producing
regular hashish—at least twice as long. For these reasons, the
price for Malana Cream is high, and since it is considered the best
concentrate in India, it also commands the prices on all products in
the country's cannamarket.

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Another popular
charas you may find all over India is Kerala Gold, which is sometimes
called Idukki Gold or Neelachadayan. It was at the height of
popularity back in 2013 after the release of a Bollywood movie called
Idukki
Gold.
The film showed the story of five friends who were traveling around
India to find the special cannabis strain that had impressed them all
in their young days.

However, Idukki Gold
can barely impress anyone these days. The strain that used to be
super-powerful a dozen of years ago was burned by the police right in
the fields. That is why the Kerala Gold we have now is actually a
hybrid that was bred by crossing the remains of the primal strain
with local plants to adapt it to the climate. This hybrid got the
name “Sheelavathi,” but it is sold under the name of Idukki Gold
anyway. Its quality is generally not really high, and the THC level
is about eight percent.

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Today we are going to tell you everything about marijuana concentrates, so put aside your favorite Sour Tangie for a while and discover various ways THC is extracted from marijuana.

How
to make charas at home

Luckily, to get
charas, you do not need to go to India. You can quite easily make it
at home. However, you should not expect it to be exactly like the
original one, mainly because of the different strains.

First of all, pick a
handful of buds from the cannabis plants that are not completely
mature but have two or three weeks before the harvesting time. Trim
the buds, leaving a bit of the stem but removing all the leaves.
Then, to make the production of charas more authentic, release the
oils and THC with the help of your own hands: simply rub the buds
between your palms until you feel that the flowers start to secrete a
black substance similar to tar. After that, you need to start rolling
a charas ball from the cannabis and roll it until it stops releasing
oils.

The secret of making
high-quality charas is to do it slowly and patiently. The faster your
hand movements are, the more resin you risk losing during the
process. You can make about 8-9 grams of charas in a day, but
high-quality product requires much more time and effort.

Best Ways to Consume Cannabis Concentrates

There are many types of cannabis concentrates available at dispensaries near my location, but the variety of methods for their consumption is even more impressive.

Moreover, expect this
process to be not only long but also quite messy. Your hands will
become sticky and resinous, covered with a black substance. You can
either use gloves or clean your hands with a heavy-duty dish soap
after the whole procedure is over.

When the ball is
formed, it is already ready to use. You can mix it with tobacco and
make a spliff, or you can place it directly into a pipe or chillum
and smoke it directly without any modifications.

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If you are a cannabis user, then whether you are traveling as a tourist or have decided to downshift and move to India to escape the stress and find balance in your life, you may want to know where to get the lovely plant.